Conflict Isn’t Failure: A New Way to Move Forward · Calgary · Nov 25, 2026

Captivate Benefits is excited to invite you to our next in-person HR Peer Circle! Join us at Heritage Park's beautiful Founder's Lounge for a delicious breakfast and a presentation by Julie Hrdlicka of Conflict Revolution to discover what workplace conflict reveals about people, pressure, and systems and what we can do about it.   We’ve been taught, in quiet and not-so-quiet ways, that conflict means something has gone wrong. That if there’s tension at work, someone has failed. That if things feel hard between people, it’s a communication problem, a leadership problem, or a “people issue.” We don’t see it that way. Conflict is part of being human, especially in workplaces where people are carrying real pressure, competing demands, and different lived experiences. Of course conflict shows up. The question isn’t whether it should exist; it’s how we understand it when it does. In this session, we’ll look at what conflict is actually pointing to through the Three Conditions for a Conflict Revolution: Building Place – what’s happening within us when conflict shows up, and how we make sense of it Holding Space – what’s happening between us as we talk, listen, and try to understand one another Seeing Systems – what’s happening around us in the pressures, structures, and expectations shaping the situation Through a mix of discussion and self-reflection, we’ll explore how our own experiences of conflict connect to the wider systems we’re working within. When we stop treating conflict as a failure, we stop rushing to blame ourselves or each other and start getting curious about what’s actually happening. And from there, something shifts. We open up more honest conversations, more grounded relationships, and more workable ways of being together even when things are hard. More About the Speaker Julie Hrdlicka (she/her) has spent the past 25 years working in community, education, and social change, focused on building relationships, collaboration, and more human approaches to conflict. She served as a human rights observer in Iraq in 2003 and 2005 and was elected as a School Board Trustee with the Calgary Board of Education in 2015 and 2017. During her time as a trustee, Julie experienced a conflict that deeply shaped her. In reflecting on that experience, she began to notice how many people around her were also struggling with stress, disconnection, and emotional overwhelm in the context of conflict. That insight led her to create Conflict Revolution. Julie now offers mediation, facilitation, conflict coaching, and workshops that support people and organizations to navigate conflict with more clarity, care, understanding and accountability. Her work is grounded in Transformative Mediation and informed by restorative and transformative justice, with a focus on accountability, relationship, and reducing harm. Rooted in somatic practice, Julie brings attention to the wisdom of the body in conflict, supporting people to build capacity, stay present, and engage more effectively in difficult conversations. More About HR Peer Circle HR Peer Circle, hosted by Captivate Benefits, is a space for those responsible for HR and People & Culture practices to learn from each other's expertise, be challenged to think differently and bring practical solutions back to your organization. Join us to get the insight of industry experts and your peers.